Baltimore Grand Jury indicts six police officers in death of Freddie Gray

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Baltimore Grand Jury indicts six police officers in death of Freddie Gray
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Freddie Gray was arrested April 12 and died in a hospital a week later
Officers indicted in his death are Brian Rice, William Porter, Caesar Goodson, Garrett Miller, William Porter, Edward Nero and Alicia White
State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Gray's neck was broken after he was handcuffed, shackled and placed head-first into a police van

By Associated Press and Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 16:15 EST, 21 May 2015 | Updated: 21:12 EST, 21 May 2015

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A grand jury in Baltimore has indicted all six officers charged in the police-custody death of Freddie Gray, the city's top prosecutor announced Thursday.

The charges returned by the grand jury were similar to the charges State Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced about three weeks ago.

Mosby has said Gray's neck was broken because he was injured while being handcuffed, shackled and placed head-first into a police van. She says his pleas for medical attention were repeatedly ignored.

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Garret Miller (left) was indicted on a second-degree assault charge, among others, while Brian Rice (right) was charged with involuntary manslaughter

Officer William Porter is facing a manslaughter charge, along with misconduct and reckless endangerment counts. His colleague Edward Nero was indicted on a second-degree assault charge

Caesar Goodson (left) is facing the most serious charge - second degree depraved heart murder. Alicia White (right) was also arrested in the wake of Freddie Gray's death

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Freddie Gray's was broken because he was injured while being handcuffed, shackled and placed head-first into a police van by the six officers last month

Baltimore Grand Jury indicts six officers in Freddie Gray death

Baltimore States Attorney Marilyn Mosby, center, announces the indictments of six Baltimore Police officers Thursday, May 21, 2015, on various charges related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray

Mosby, center, said Gray's arrest was unlawful because the knife in his possession is legal under state law

Mosby said prosecutors had presented evidence to the grand jury for the past two weeks. Some of the charges were changed based on new information, but she didn't say what that new information was. She also did not take questions.

'As is often the case, during an ongoing investigation, charges can and should be revised based upon the evidence,' Mosby said.

In all, three of the officers had additional charges brought against them while three others had one less charge.

The six officers under indictment - Brian Rice, William Porter, Caesar Goodson, Garrett Miller, William Porter, Edward Nero and Alicia White - will be formally arraigned July 2.

Freddie Gray, 25, was arrested April 12 in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore. According to court documents, Gray made eye contact with a police officer and took off running.

He was apprehended two blocks away and arrested for possession of what Miller wrote in charging documents is illegal under a city ordinance.

Mosby said the arrest was unlawful because the knife is legal under state law.

None of the officers secured Gray's seatbelt in the police van, a violation of police policy. Soon after he was placed in the van, Goodson stopped to secure him with leg irons because he had become 'irate,' police said.

After a ride that included several more stops, including one to pick up a second passenger, the van arrived at the Western District station house. By that time, Gray was non-responsive.

Gray's death on April 19 sparked weeks of largely peaceful protests in Baltimore punctuated by a day of rioting and arson after his funeral on April 27, when rioters hurled rocks at police and set buildings and cars on fire.

In the wake of the unrest in the city, Democratic Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake implemented a curfew for all Baltimore residents, and Republican Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency.

In court documents, attorneys for the indicted cops alleged that Mosby had a personal interest in calming unrest in the city that followed Gray's death because her husband is a city councilman.

All of the officers maintain that Gray's arrest was legal based on their contention he was carrying a type of knife that is illegal. However, eyewitnesses suggest the cops used unnecessary force.

Catalyst: The 25-year-old's death while in police custody sparked city-wide protests and riots in the Maryland city

Detained: A distraught-looking Freddie Gray is seen here just moments before his arrest on April 12

New footage shows Gray hanging out of police van motionless

'On May 1st our investigation revealed that we had enough probable cause to bring charges against the six officers,' stated Marilyn Mosby in a press release put out by her office Thursday.

'The Grand Jury, who also concluded there is sufficient evidence for probable cause, returned indictments on all counts presented to them.'

Officer Caesar Goodson is facing the most serious charges, including second-degree depraved heart murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, as well as counts of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, manslaughter by vehicle gross negligence and criminal negligence, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

If convicted of all the charges, Goodson could be looking at up to 68 years in prison.

Officers Porter, Rice and White have been indicted on involuntary manslaughter, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges.

Edward Nero and Garret Miller are accused of committing second-degree assault - a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The grand jury did not bring charges of false imprisonment against Rice and Nero, charges that Mosby had pursued.

The death of Gray, 25, followed a string of police-involved deaths of unarmed black men in Ferguson, Missouri, New York City and North Charleston, South Carolina, which provoked waves of protests across the United States.